Display apparatus having improved static discharge characteristics

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a first substrate including a plurality of pixels, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. Each pixel includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor pattern, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The first electrode includes a first portion overlapping the drain electrode and a second portion outside the first portion, and the second electrode does not overlap the first portion of the first electrode. The first electrode or the second electrode is formed as a single unitary structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display apparatus comprising:
 a first substrate; 
 a second substrate facing the first substrate; and 
 a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the first substrate comprising:
 a plurality of gate lines extending at least approximately in a first direction; 
 a plurality of data lines extending at least approximately in a second direction crossing the first direction;
 a thin film transistor connected to a corresponding gate line of the gate lines and a corresponding data line of the data lines, the thin film transistor including a gate electrode disposed on an insulating substrate, a semiconductor pattern disposed on the insulating substrate to overlap the gate electrode, a gate insulating layer disposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor pattern, a source electrode disposed on the semiconductor pattern, and a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor pattern to be spaced apart from the source electrode; 
 a first electrode disposed on the gate insulating layer and connected to the drain electrode; and 
 a second electrode overlapping the first electrode when viewed in a plan view, so as to form an electric field in cooperation with the first electrode when a voltage is applied across the first and second electrodes, 
 wherein one of the first electrode or the second electrode is formed as a single unitary structure, 
 wherein, in a plan view, the first electrode comprises a first portion overlapping the drain electrode and a second area not overlapping the drain electrode, and the second electrode does not overlap the first portion of the first electrode, and 
 wherein a portion of the gate electrode extends from the gate line toward the first electrode, and a portion of the first electrode has a recessed portion positioned to correspond to the extended portion of the gate electrode. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, for each thin film transistor, the extended portion of the gate electrode overlaps the semiconductor pattern. 
     
     
       3. The display apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a passivation layer covering the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is disposed on the passivation layer. 
     
     
       4. The display apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the second electrode comprises a plurality of slits formed by partially removing the second electrode. 
     
     
       5. The display apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the slits are inclined with respect to the first direction or the second direction. 
     
     
       6. The display apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a storage line disposed between the insulating substrate and the gate insulating layer and separating from the gate lines in the first direction, wherein the second electrode is connected to the storage line. 
     
     
       7. The display apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a first contact hole extends through the gate insulating layer and the passivation layer to expose a portion of the storage line, and the second electrode is connected to the storage line through the first contact hole. 
     
     
       8. The display apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising an organic insulating layer disposed between the gate insulating layer and the first electrode and provided with a second contact hole exposing a portion of the drain electrode, wherein the first electrode is connected to the drain electrode through the second contact hole. 
     
     
       9. The display apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a portion of the storage line extends in the second direction and overlaps a portion of the pixel electrode. 
     
     
       10. The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is disposed between the first insulating substrate and the gate insulating layer, and is electrically insulated from the gate electrode. 
     
     
       11. The display apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first electrode comprises a plurality of slits formed by partially removing the first electrode. 
     
     
       12. The display apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the slits are inclined with respect to the first direction or the second direction. 
     
     
       13. The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the source electrode and the drain electrode comprises nickel, copper, tungsten, or an alloy thereof. 
     
     
       14. The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each comprise a transparent conductive oxide. 
     
     
       15. A thin film transistor substrate comprising:
 an insulating substrate; 
 a plurality of gate lines disposed on the insulating substrate and extending at least approximately in a first direction; 
 a plurality of data lines disposed on the insulating substrate and extending at least approximately in a second direction crossing the first direction; 
 a gate insulating layer disposed between the gate lines and the data lines; 
 a plurality of thin film transistors, each of which is connected to a corresponding gate line of the gate lines and a corresponding data line of the data lines, and each of which includes a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode; 
 a first electrode connected to the drain electrode; and 
 a second electrode overlapping the first electrode to form an electric field in cooperation with the first electrode when a voltage is applied across the first and the second electrodes, 
 wherein either the first electrode or the second electrode is formed as a single unitary structure, a portion of the first electrode overlaps the drain electrode in a plan view, and the second electrode does not overlap that portion of the first electrode which overlaps the drain electrode, and 
 wherein a portion of the gate electrode extends from the gate line toward the first electrode, and a portion of the first electrode has a recessed portion positioned to correspond to the extended portion of the gate electrode. 
 
     
     
       16. The thin film transistor substrate of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the first electrode is a pixel electrode formed as a single unitary structure, 
 wherein the second electrode comprises a plurality of slits formed by partially removing the second electrode and inclined with respect to the first direction or the second direction, 
 wherein the slits are substantially in line-symmetry with respect to an imaginary line crossing a center of the second electrode along the first direction, and 
 wherein the second electrode has a connecting line connecting the second electrode along the imaginary line. 
 
     
     
       17. The thin film transistor substrate of  claim 16 , wherein the second electrode is provided in a plural number, each of which further comprises a connecting line extending along a second direction and connecting adjacent second electrodes. 
     
     
       18. The thin film transistor substrate of  claim 17 , wherein the second electrode is formed on the first electrode. 
     
     
       19. The thin film transistor substrate of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the first electrode is a pixel electrode, the first electrode comprises a plurality of slits formed by partially removing the first electrode, 
 wherein the slits are inclined with respect to the first direction or the second direction, 
 wherein the slits are substantially in line-symmetry with respect to an imaginary line crossing a center of the pixel electrode along the first direction.